Airplane takes off with film of FDR Inauguration, lands in New York City, views of the inaugural parade. "The First Sound Pictures Ever Shown of a Presidential Inauguration. The Brilliant Ceremonies marking The Induction of Franklin D. Roosevelt as the 32nd President of the United States. Striking close-up views of President-elect Roosevelt's arrival at the White House to take President Hoover to the Capitol for the Inaugural ceremony, and the historic ride of the celebrated pair down Pennsylvania Avenue, with a Congressional escort, as cheering thousands, massed on the sidewalks, hail the event. . . . Also, interesting scenes are shown of the record-breaking method by which these Universal Newspaper Newsreel sound pictures of the Inauguration were rushed from Washington to the screen via the country's fastest air transport, to establish an all-time record for newsreel service."


This movie is part of the collection: Universal Newsreels

Production Company: Universal Studios
Audio/Visual: sound, b&w
Keywords:

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: Christine Hennig - - July 28, 2006
Subject: Up-to-the-Minute Inauguration Coverage Delivered by Airplane!
This lively newsreel documents the inauguration of Franklin Roosevelt as president. It starts with self-congratulatory crowing about how Universal Newsreels uses an airplane to deliver the film footage, so that it will be up-to-the-minute. Then we get to see the newly elected FDR and former President Hoover riding to the capitol together, and FDRâs inaugural address, in which he asserts that if Congress fails to cooperate with his policies, he wonât hesitate to ask for executive powers similar to those given the president in wartime. It shows how desperate things were that this didnât frighten people. Then we get to see the inaugural procession down Pennsylvania Avenue. This newsreel has a great deal of historical value, both in documenting Rooseveltâs inauguration, and giving us a taste of what it was like before TV news documented everything instantaneously.
Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: ***. Weirdness: ****. Historical Interest: *****. Overall Rating: ****.